This invention relates to a wooden suspended ceiling system, and in particular it relates to a wooden suspended ceiling system where various parts of the system may be formed from a plurality of components.
Wooden suspended ceiling systems are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,498-Kern, issued Aug. 4, 1981; U.S. Pat. No. 4,367,616-Pearson, issued Jan. 11, 1983; U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,200-Young, issued Sep. 27, 1988; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,841,709-Peterson et al, issued Jun. 27, 1989, all describe suspended ceiling systems which use wooden beams. Wooden beams are considered to provide a more attractive appearance than metal beams. In these prior patents, the main beams, cross beams and wall hangers are all made of wood. In the U.S. Pat. No. 4,841,709 to Peterson et al and U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,200 to Young, the main beam, the cross beam and the wall hanger are each made of a single piece of wood. The manufacture of shaped beams from a solid piece of wood tends to be wasteful, and in addition, wooden beams and other members made from a single piece of wood tend to twist and warp as the wood dries and ages. Twisting and warping will, of course, cause problems in a suspended ceiling, particularly where intercepting beams are butted.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,281,498 to Kern and U.S. Pat. No. 4,637,616 to Pearson show larger main beams made from three components. Kern shows similar main beams and cross beams made from a longitudinally extending beam centre of rectangular cross-section with a longitudinally extending side member of generally L-shaped cross-section on each side of the beam centre. The outer side of the vertical part of the side member has a longitudinal slot for receiving the edge of the beam centre to form the beam. Such a composite beam would resist the tendency to twist, but it requires three components. A separate component having an L-shaped cross-section (with no slot in the outer surface of the vertical part), is used as a wall hanger. Pearson shows a main beam having an elongated central portion with a rectangular cross-section and, on either side, a longitudinally extending side member having a generally L-shaped configuration. The vertical part of the L-shaped member has its outer side glued or otherwise fastened to each edge of the central portion to form the main beam. The L-shaped member is also used as the wall hanger. The Pearson cross beams appear to be made from a single piece of wood having a configuration similar to two back-to-back L-shaped members. However the cross beam has a smaller vertical dimension than the L-shaped members of the main beam. The main beam has three components and will reduce the tendency to twist, however it does use three components. The cross beam is an additional component and appears to be made from a single piece of wood.